


Dark Side of the Moon

by Yamino_Yama



Category: TsukiPro the Animation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Fate & Destiny, First Love, M/M, Romance, Star-crossed, Tragic Romance, Winged Rikka, Winged Shiki, Winged Tsubasa, Wolf Dai, solids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-10-04
Packaged: 2019-07-12 07:03:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15990122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yamino_Yama/pseuds/Yamino_Yama
Summary: Shiki feels the pull of someone from the moon. He journeys to the dark side to find them, hoping to end their loneliness and bring them towards the light.





	1. The Pull

**Author's Note:**

> This may only wind up being like...three chapters long. I'm not sure yet, but I decided to split and publish this intro to give you all something to read and look forward to more of. ^_^ This is inspired by quite a few SolidS songs, and I'm sure you can already tell which ones, but 'Tide - hikari no sasu hou e' is what got me writing. I love the fantasy/science fiction element and just had to create a tale based on the lyrics.
> 
> Note: Shiki is on Earth, but a future Earth and many things have changed that he will get into later as the story progresses.
> 
> All of SolidS will appear here, so look forward to having them all together. ^_~ Please, feel free to let me know what you think via comments and for some of my ShikiRikka and QUELL fanarts, check out my Tsukipro moment on Twitter @Yamino_Yama
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, and stay tuned!!

From his home planet, Shiki felt a pull. The ocean felt it too, churning and bulging as the moon drew near in its orbit. Someone was calling him from that moon, desperate for another soul to see them, save them. Shiki was too possessed by the signs of their existence to live on and ignore. His heart burned to make the journey and now was as good a time as any.

He had few belongings he cared to lug around, so he set off empty-handed toward the highest point of the cliff he lived by, sure that it would make an excellent launch point. He unfurled his wings and looked at his target, burning bright. It wasn't the glowing surface he had to get to though. The lonely heart was on the other side, calling out to him so powerfully that his own chest ached. He'd have to go to the dark side of the moon.

He'd never flown so far, so high; the pressure might make his ears pop and permanently rob him of his hearing, but he had to get to the one beckoning him. No matter what, he had to.

But before leaving, there was one thing—one someone rather—that he didn't plan to take off without. With a whistle, he summoned his companion. A great blue wolf came charging towards him, nails clicking on the rocky surface. He took one look at Shiki and trained his eyes on the moon. As expected, Dai had impressive instincts and the resolve to see their mission through. It would be a mistake to leave him behind.

Shiki struggled to pick up the wolf who was massive for his age, but managed. “Hang on tight,” Shiki warned. “This will be the most difficult flight of my life and carrying your weight may prolong the travel time. You don't want me to drop you in space, do you?”

The wolf frowned, worried, and gripped Shiki's shirt with his teeth, being careful not to maim Shiki's skin underneath. “Good boy,” Shiki praised. He pumped his wings a few times before casting himself and Dai into the air with a leap from the cliff. They plummeted for a few seconds, then Shiki changed his wings' angle and began to soar.

He and the wolf kept their mouths shut and their teeth clinched, Dai because of Shiki's warning and his fear of it coming true, and Shiki to avoid biting his tongue. Shiki's eyes burned, begging to close, but he squinted to keep the moon in sight. He didn't want to lose sight of it for a moment even as he dodged stars and meteors. As expected, the pressure was getting to his ears; first, they rang obnoxiously, then they felt plugged, making him want to shake his head. A wet sensation made him wonder if they were bleeding but he blazed on, only thankful that he and Dai didn't have to worry about air. Neither of them were the sort of creatures that needed oxygen to breathe.

After forever, Shiki was at the moon, he skirted around it, scanning the shaded face it kept hidden. He didn't see a thing, but he made a landing anyway, needing to rest. Dai whined as Shiki put him down, looking from Shiki's ears to his strained wings. Shiki didn't need to turn to know he'd lost quite a few feathers. His back ached so much, he wondered how his wings hadn't been yanked away entirely. He put a hand to his right ear and his fingers came away with a splash of blood, as he'd expected.

“Don't worry,” he told Dai. “It looks bad, but I can still hear. Rather than dwell on me, I need your nose to help me find what we're after. I can tell they're here, somewhere.” He felt the other's presence in his bones at this point. It almost scared him, how intense the feel was at this distance. So close, they were so close.

Dai nodded and got to work, trekking the moon's surface. At once, his eyes widened, his ears perked, and his tail began to whiz in excited circles. Target locked.

Shiki followed Dai, feeling unease by how barren and quiet this place was. There was no wonder that someone would send out waves of abandon from a place like this. Shiki didn't have much company aside from Dai back home but he did have the tide to listen to and the ocean spray to feel as the wind stirred, flowers and trees to gaze at, the moon itself looking down at him like a beacon. Here the moon didn't have a view of much, nothing stirred but dust. What could one do here to entertain themselves, to feel alive?

When Dai stopped, Shiki almost ran into him, so lost in his thoughts. He then followed the wolf's line of vision and saw why he'd halted so suddenly in his tracks. In front of them, a being crouched with dark wings furled around themselves protectively. They slowly shifted the wings and peeked behind them. Shiki caught a glimpse of their eyes and grew dizzy, they were so captivating. The eyes widened and the being completely broke free of their feathered barrier and came into full view.

Shiki noticed Dai lower his head as though bowing and he felt the strong urge to do the same. He was looking at an unearthly creature that _had_ to be an angel. _A male_ , Shiki realized, though knowing did nothing to stop his heart from stirring. He was beautiful and lithe in the way he moved. Yet, it was as though he were holding back a wilder, more dangerous side, even as his eyes remained gentle. Shiki felt he knew him, had known him a very long time, though it was their first meeting. There was no doubt that this was who had been calling out to him. The man brushed at his flowing pink hair and put on a smile. It was a sad but beautiful smile.

“You . . .” Shiki started, but didn't know what to say. He'd never been one for words, having lived a solitary life until finding an injured Dai and taking him in. What did he say to someone as enchanting as this?

The man smiled wider, a real smile and said with glee. “Hi, I'm Rikka.”

 


	2. The Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiki learns what Rikka is doing on the dark side of the moon and what he can do to help with Rikka's loneliness. The two journey to the light, but can Rikka brave crossing into it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took a while to get this chapter done because it's mostly bonding time and angst and both are hard to sit and write because the bonding made me too soft and the angst almost made me spiral into depression, but I made it through. ^_~ Still, all-in-all, I've been having fun with this premise. Again, this fic was inspired by/loosely based on 'Tide,' but it's definitely turning into its own thing. The next chapter, presumably the last, will have a 'Black Heaven' vibe too, with the introduction of you-know-who. Look forward to it~
> 
> P.S. Funny enough, the last scene in this chapter took shape due to a song that wasn't even SolidS; I wrote it while listening to L'arc~en~ciel's 'Trust' and chanting “come into the light.” thus the chapter title >w< If you can manage to listen to that song while reading that part, it'll definitely add to the experience ^_^

“Rikka,” Shiki repeated the name, let it sink in. “A beautiful name,” he added.

“Thank you,” Rikka responded, raising an eyebrow a moment later. “And yours?”

“Shiki, and this wolf is Dai. We came to—”

_To what_ , he thought. Could he really say to end your loneliness that I sensed worlds away? He didn't even know what he could do. Truth was, this mission had been spontaneous and he'd gone in blind. Shiki was tongue tied, seeking a good answer, but Rikka was shaking his head.

“It doesn't matter,” Rikka said. “I'm sure whatever you came to do is important, but can I trouble you to stay for a bit? Just a short while is fine.”

“Of course,” Shiki said at once. If there was one thing he knew he'd been wanting to accomplish it was keeping Rikka company. In the end, getting close, if only for an instant, was exactly what Shiki had come for, though he still didn't have the nerve to say.

Rikka walked toward him with careful steps. At first, Skiki thought it was for fear of Dai standing between them and he said, “Don't worry. Dai won't bite you,” before realizing there was no need.

When close, Rikka got on his knees and grabbed the wolf in a hug, chuckling as the overgrown plush toy of an animal nuzzled him. “He only looks fierce, huh. He's a good child.”

“Most would be intimidated by his large build alone,” Shiki explained, not even attempting to mask the impressed tone from his voice. “Dai's face has sent many running from our territory back home.”

Taking the wolf's face in his hands, Rikka hummed in understanding. “That's not caution, that's smarts, seeing a creature with such intense eyes as a threat. I'm just one who enjoys a challenge. And you, his father . . .”

Rikka stood and rushed to Shiki. Shiki's eyes widened as he braced himself for he-didn't-know-what. He just knew that now Rikka was so close to them that he could see the curl of the lashes framing his pink irises, seeming to glow crimson in the lack of light. His attention was drawn to the flick of Rikka's tongue as he wet his lips. “Your eyes are just as intense as his,” Rikka stated, sounding almost predatory, “but . . . lonelier. We're the same, aren't we?”

That shook Shiki, hearing something like that. He'd rarely felt similar to anyone in his whole life, let alone identical, and to have someone as extraordinary as Rikka be the one to say that . . .

“I . . . don't know about us being the same, but I'll admit there have been times I've craved company.” Even with Dai around and the many thoughts he had swirling in his head, Shiki had felt an emptiness that could never seem to be filled. Doing things he loved, seeing or hearing things that made him happy, nothing ever sustained that void in him. And now—

Rikka was watching him. Shiki wondered if he was being assessed and began to feel nervous again. Shiki was sure nothing showed but Dai came closer, sensing his unease. Could Rikka sense it too, without Shiki so much as flinching?

“What do you spend your time doing?” Shiki asked because he could think of little else to say but had to at least break the silence.

“Dance.” Rikka spun to demonstrate and his white garbs spun with him, black wings fluttering from the opening in the back.

Black and white, intimidating but sweet, restricted yet free, the perfect contrast.

“And sometimes I sing,” Rikka added.

That perked Shiki up as he thought of the melody that had haunted him for so long, the one that dragged him here unrelenting. This was his chance to hear it up close.

“Show me,” he said. “Please.”

Rikka appeared hesitant, embarrassed, but once he took a deep breath, he opened his mouth and sang.

Shiki wasn't prepared for the assault of pure sound that struck him at that moment. The song he'd heard back home was but a phantom illusion. His skin tingled and excitement bubbled through him from his very core. At that moment, he had no doubt that Rikka was a being he'd only heard legend of: an angel.

But it perplexed him. Everyone knew that angels belonged in the light. There had to be a reason for Rikka being alone in the dark, but as Shiki listened he thought to himself the reason couldn't be a very good one. He resolved to do something about this, to lead Rikka into the light.

Once Rikka finished singing, he turned to Shiki, waiting for his assessment. “That was beautiful,” Shiki said.

Rikka blushed slightly, muttered a 'thank you' and began spinning again, sometimes giving a little leap in the air. Shiki's heart leaped with him. “There's a place I'd like to go,” Shiki started.

“Ah, you have to go?” Rikka showed obvious hurt that stung Shiki deep.

“I meant a place I'd like us to go together,” Shiki reiterated. “If you'd like to come with me, of course.”

Rikki's face brightened and Shiki felt a smile tug at his lips in return. “I'll go,” Rikka declared. He stretched his arms wide, gesturing at the empty air. “As you see, I don't have anything else planned. Lead the way.”

It started off a slow trek but he could feel Rikka growing antsy as they continued walking along. “Don't you plan to fly somewhere?” Rikka asked. “We could do that. I mean, I haven't flown in a long time, barely at all, but I'd try.”

Shiki glanced at Rikka and shook his head. “No, the place we're headed doesn't require our feet leaving the ground.”

Rikka stopped walking and seemed to shrink in his skin. “We should turn back,” he said.

“Why?” Shiki strained his eyes to see what lie in the distance. “I think I can see light ahead.”

“That's just it. I don't belong in the light. I was cast out,” Rikka unfurled his black wings and gestured at them with a nod, “because of these.”

Shiki blinked, still perplexed. “Is there something wrong with your wings?”

“Everyone I've ever known has white wings and they live in the light, thrive in it, but I have a tolerance for the dark so I was banished into it and cursed as something akin to a demon.”

Shiki flinched and looked away.

“My wings are rather similar to yours, aren't they?” Rikka went on. “A midnight violet. They're beautiful. I wish I had a hint of color in mine to show that I'm not empty, soulless.”

Snapping back to his senses, Shiki went to Rikka's side and ran a hand over one of his wings, afterward caressing his cheek. Rikka's lips parted in surprise as their eyes locked. “ _Your_ wings are the ones that are beautiful. All of you, really. And anyone who'd find you unattractive and soulless is lacking both eyes and a brain.”

Rikka's eyes stretched and suddenly he was giggling and wiping tears from his eyes.

Shiki started, breaking his touch on Rikka and stepping back. Dai brushed his leg to give his support, but Shiki was sad it did little to help. Unsure if what he'd said had dampened his bond with Rikka, he apologized. “Sorry if I didn't word that nicely.” After a moment, he added, “But I  _did_ mean it.”

“No, no,” Rikka waved a hand and got his laughter under control with a deep breath. “I was amazed at your speaking your mind like that. And . . .” Rikka's face developed a slight blush as he went on. “It's been a long time since anyone's said such kind things about me. I was a bit overwhelmed.”

“So not everyone who lived in the light despised or feared you?”

Rikka shook his head. “One person treated me well enough, but perhaps its because of him that I'm here alone now.”

Shiki stayed quiet, again finding himself unsure of what to say.

“I-I'll keep walking with you. A little closer can't hurt, I guess. I am curious on whether I can get a glimpse on the other side. I wonder how much has changed.”

They did keep walking, but eventually found themselves taking a break, though not because they were physically tired. Rikka was carrying a heavy heart and that burden rested on Shiki's shoulders too, even if Rikka didn't realize it yet. Shiki was thinking that it was about time he said.

“Do you think it's possible to feel both afraid and safe in the dark?” Rikka whispered. He was massaging one of Dai's ears absently, eyes focused on a place Shiki couldn't see. “Or am I as bizarre as everyone made me out to be?”

Shiki thought it over. “In the dark, you can hide from threats, be alone with yourself, but at the same time, fear that no one will find you when the danger's over. There's nothing unusual in that.”

Rikka smiled, but still didn't look at peace. “I say I was cast from the light, but it takes effort to stay away. As this world rotates and spins, I consciously ran from it, I ran until it was instinct itself that kept me away, and now—”

“Now you're fighting your very being,” Shiki finished, “heading into the unknown while your heart screams danger. It's tough.”

“Beyond tough,” Rikka corrected. “It should be impossible, but here I am. Somehow I can't help but go where you go.”

“That's fine,” Shiki responded. “You can fall on me. I once let others down before and fled because of the hurt in their eyes, but I'm different now. It's I that will go where you go. No matter what awaits us in the light, I'll cross into with you. I'll follow you anywhere.”

*

When they next stopped, they were so close to the light that it resembled the sun's glow on the horizon back on Shiki's home planet. A step over the next few craters could be the end of their journey. How many days had they been traveling? There was no way of telling. Days didn't even exist here as Shiki knew them. All he knew was that he'd managed to forge a bond with Rikka in their time together.

While before as they'd sit Rikka would distance himself, gawking at Shiki with curiosity all over his face, now Rikka sat next to Shiki, close enough that their shoulders brushed, content. Dai reclined at their feet, stretching his back legs out so that he had a comically froggy appearance as he drifted to sleep. It was just Shiki, Rikka, and the burning balls called stars sprinkled across the universe, none of them big or close enough to light the permanent black sky above them. Rikka sighed, hugging his knees and resting his chin on them.

“Are you cold?” Shiki asked. “That garment you have on seems rather thin.”

Rikka shook his head. “I don't get cold.” He tilted his head and wrinkled his brow, seemingly reconsidering. “Maybe it's not that I don't get cold, but rather I've been cold so long I can no longer feel it. I've gone numb.”

Shiki didn't reply so Rikka added. “But these clothes are nicer than they look.” Rikka raised the hem of the gown and Shiki turned away to avoid seeming more than appropriate of the bare legs beneath. “I've been bearing the same outfit for as long as I've been out here and it's never worn out or sullied. It's made of moon dust crafted material after all, practically magic.”

Shiki nodded. “I see. Your clothes sound special. I assume your clothes were gifted to you, probably from the someone who treated you right before you left the lit side of the moon,” he figured.

Rikka studied him, eyes narrowed. “You're awfully skilled at reading me, even guessing my circumstances, while I can't even begin to guess what you're thinking, let alone dive into your past. It makes me envious, nervous, and overjoyed, all at once.”

“I'm sure you'll figure me out in time. I'm not that complex.”

“Well, I can tell you _that_ was a lie.”

“It really wasn't.”

Rikka scoffed. “You think it's true, but it isn't. You have a lot going on inside here.” Rikka pointed at Shiki's temple. “Always observing and calculating, yet you feel you aren't doing a thing. Such a mystery.” In time, Rikka asked, “Can you tell me about your world?”

“The one I just came from, or the one I once belonged to.”

Rikka cocked his head. “I'm curious about both. But how about you start with the one you once belonged to.”

Shiki revisited the darkest recesses of his mind, a much more oppressing place then the blackness that surrounded his physical body now. He closed his eyes a moment before he spoke. “I'll give you a bit of both, I guess,” he decided. “Like you, I was an outcast of sorts, a reject. I spent a lot of time alone. Even with others around me, I felt isolated, merely doing what was expected of me and not knowing if I was living to the fullest, being true to my own emotions. I left that world to find myself, but found pure empty solitude instead, still dreaded or ridiculed as the only one of my kind on a planet called Earth. The irony is that the ones throwing insults at me were alien to that planet themselves. Humans died off long ago and beings those humans thought only existed in horror tales now roam. Some animals and plants thrive in water so polluted they mutated into new beings, but none as loathed as me. I thought I'd feel at home there but even monsters feared and spat at me and my only bit of peace was when I was alone, until Dai came along.”

After listening to his story, Rikka gave a long sigh and said, “I thought so” as he shifted against Shiki's shoulder. “We have a lot in common. And I know we just met, but I feel like it's the thousandth time.”

“Me too,” Shiki admitted. “Many times I heard you singing from Earth so it didn't feel like I was meeting _you_ for the first time either. Your songs were beautiful, but sad, and that's what led me here, a desire to see if you were all right.” _And to see if you could love me since, even at a distance, I'd fallen so hard for you._

“Honestly?” Rikka asked. “That's worlds away. Impossible!”

“I'm here, aren't I?” Shiki responded, giving Rikka a sly look.

Rikka playfully jabbed at him. “It's just hard to believe.”

Dai began muttering lightly in his sleep and Rikka smiled. “He's one that thrives on sleep I see. I don't need it myself though I sometimes sit and close my eyes, let sleep distract me. I never dream though so it's not a big help. Even asleep, I'm in the dark, alone. It makes me feel worse honestly.”

“I don't require sleep either,” Shiki said, “but it did relax me on Earth since it was as troublesome a world as the one I escaped from.”

“The demon world, yes?” Rikka questioned. “The only creature feared by all other monstrosities are pure demons, but I imagine you were ostracized from your kind for being too passive. I'm sorry, but you certainly don't come off as demonic.”

Shiki smiled. “You got it. I told you that you'd figure me out in time.”

“We really are alike,” Rikka stated again, this time sounding mystified. “Two entirely different creatures, but feared and misunderstood, neglected.”

“Until now,” Shiki corrected. “We have each other.”

“I still can't believe you came here because of me, _for_ me. Worlds apart and you were the only one who could hear me.”

“Well, to his credit, Dai also sensed you, just not as strongly.”

Rikka giggled. “Like owner, like pup, I guess. Regardless . . .” Rikka took Shiki's face in his hands and turned him so that their eyes connected. “I'm so glad you found me. You have no idea how much I needed you.”

“I'm the one who needed you.” He took one of Rikka's hands from his face and kissed it. He could see a thrill of surprise pass through Rikka, but was relieved that there was no hate or disgust. In fact Rikka was leaning in, opening his mouth a bit, searching Shiki's face with beseeching eyes that settled on his lips and made Shiki feel parched for something he didn't know he'd been thirsty for. Shiki moved in too, edging closer to Rikka, ready to live and breathe him, but a grunt from Dai made them both stop and break apart.

Atmosphere broken, neither of them made to finish what they'd started, but they did return to cuddling, gravitating toward each other, still unable to ignore the pull.

*

They'd reached their destination. Shiki was taken aback by how intimidating it seemed, the border between light and dark. As though a line had been drawn in the ground and enforced with rays of electricity from that line up, the border sizzled and blazed like a great wall that threatened one's life. It didn't even look safe to approach, let alone touch, but Dai was walking closer and closer to it, one paw step at a time.

“Be careful, Dai,” Shiki warned, but the wolf kept inching forward until his nose touched and passed through the simmering wall of light. Shiki half expected Dai to yelp in pain and bolt, but Dai retracted his nose without a sound. His snout glowed for a moment and then lost the radiance, but there didn't appear to be any harm done. Shiki could assume it was safe.

Still, Rikka was petrified, arms wrapped around himself like he was literally trying to hold himself together. Shiki left his side to stick his hand through the border and back out again. As with Dai's nose, his hand shimmered before resuming its usual dull hue. “You can do this, Rikka,” Shiki said, holding up his hand. “See, it won't harm you.” When he still didn't respond, Shiki took that same hand and reached out for Rikka, wordlessly asking him to take it.

Rikka stared at Shiki's hand then up into Shiki's eyes. Shiki saw fear swimming in Rikka's eyes and knew that if nothing was done Rikka would drown in it. Shiki stretched his hand closer to Rikka, snapping him out of his panic.

“You don't have to trust the light or what lies inside it,” Shiki told him. “I just ask that you trust me.”

He saw his Rikka reawaken, regaining his wits and, finally, taking Shiki's hand.

 


	3. The Estranged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiki manages to get Rikka into the light, but a new face explains to them why things are nothing like they'd imagined. Also, the bright surface of the moon carries a danger that Shiki won't see coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to spoil, but this was a planned tragedy from the start and this chapter is where things get tragic. I've added an archive warning but in case you missed it: MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH! Still, there is a shred of hope for our seemingly star-crossed lovers, Shiki and Rikka. If you can bear the pain, please continue until the very end. Thank you! (and I'm sorry!)

Shiki's skin tingled as he walked into the light and, from the squeeze Rikka gave his hand, Shiki imagined he'd had a similar shock. Still, the sensation was nothing compared to the awe of seeing how different this side of the moon was. Tall white buildings stood as far as the eye could see, glittering in the distant sun's reflection. “It's beautiful,” Shiki remarked. He glanced at Rikka. “Does anything look familiar?”

Rikka took in his surroundings a while longer with wide eyes, then shook his head. “I don't remember a thing.”

“It was a long time ago. It's understandable.”

Dai walked on and Shiki and Rikka followed, still hand-in-hand. Immediately Shiki noticed that something was wrong.

“It's too quiet,” Rikka was the first to say, “like no one's here.”

At that moment, Dai braced himself and growled, fur standing on end. Shiki followed his line of vision and saw something diving toward them fast. It was still too far off to make out what it was, but Shiki dropped Rikka's hand and stepped in front of him protectively regardless, dead set against allowing him to come to any harm. Whatever it was, it was almost on them now.

Blinking, Shiki could make out white wings against the black sky, and they were attached to someone with golden hair just as bright and blinding. It was a boy who appeared fairly young. He didn't seem hostile either. In fact, he was beaming ear-to-ear. Honestly, it was a face Shiki immediately found exhausting.

“You!” the boy shouted. “Where did you all come from? And what do you—ah!” He shouted suddenly and pointed at Rikka. “I remember you! I was just a kid when the king died and you were exiled, but you were called the Privileged Princess because of how much you were spoiled, the son treated more tenderly than any daughter. As soon as those who opposed the king got a chance, they cast you into the dark. They blamed those black wings of yours but I personally think that they were all jealous.”

Shiki noticed Rikka crossing his arms defensively. “Since we've established that you know Rikka,” Shiki said, “can you tell us who you are?”

The boy put on a smug face that irked Shiki to no end. “First, you should say who _you_ are. I don't recognize you at all, and you _are_ in my domain.”

Though he hated to admit that the boy was right, Shiki complied, giving his name and Dai's.

“I'm Tsubasa,” the boy said. “Nice to have you. As you can see, I don't have a very big audience here, so guests are welcome.”

There didn't seem to be _any_ audience here, big or small. “Do you mind explaining where those naysayers that cast Rikka off have gone?” Shiki asked. “Besides your being here, this place looks deserted.”

Tsubasa flinched and Shiki narrowed his eyes. There was definitely something this chatty angel wasn't telling them.”

“Your pet is cute,” Tsubasa noticeably changed topics. “Dai-chan, right? Can I pet him?”

Before Shiki could give a yes or no, Tsubasa was moving in, but Dai was faster, dodging Tsubasa's hand and giving an elaborate shake. When he was done, the four-legged Dai was no more, replaced by the bipedal Dai that Shiki hadn't seen in ages. Like the angels, demons, and many of the monsters now on Earth, Dai was humanoid, for the most part, though his human traits were more than coincidental.

“What is this?” Tsubasa thrilled. “He's changed, but he still has the animal ears and tail. That's adorable! It makes me want to pet him even more.”

“Don't you dare,” Dai growled in a voice they could all understand.

Tsubasa had hushed up, shocked by the direct order, and Rikka was looking from Dai to Shiki and back again, looking astonished.

“Did you know he could change like that?” Rikka asked.

Shiki nodded. “It was just easier on both of us, him staying in wolf form. There was no need for him to get ridiculed on Earth like I was. He worked as a great guard as a wolf too. Though he's a bit intimidating like this, a fanged beast is far more likely to evoke fear, don't you agree?”

“Is Dai some kind of demon too?” Rikka asked. “I assumed he was one of the mutated animals of Earth you mentioned before, but . . .”

“No, neither. He was one of Earth's last remaining humans, but he _was_ bitten by one of those mutated animals, a creature that was probably, in some part, the last of wolf kind, trying to survive. Now Dai is sort of an example of what his people once called werewolves, though he transforms of his own will and keeps his senses and memories no matter what form he takes.”

“That's crazy cool,” Tsubasa was still raving.

“Shut up,” Dai mumbled, getting a chuckle from Rikka.

They were making fast friends, these three, and that somehow relieved Shiki though he couldn't decide why. He _did_ know that this was the most active an environment he'd ever found himself in since leaving the demon world, but one that didn't feel stifling and make him uncomfortable.

“There are a lot of buildings here for one person,” Rikka commented.

“Yeah,” Tsubasa agreed, not realizing he'd told them what they'd all expected, that he was the only one there. “It's great, actually. I have free reign of them all and dibs on everything inside. I stay in this one here,” Tsubasa pointed at one of the tallest buildings around. “You guys can relax, enjoy the heated lunar water and get a change of clothes, if you'd like, then we can have a longer talk. How about it?”

Rikka seemed to perk up at the prospect of new clothes so Shiki nodded his agreement. Tsubasa ushered them into his entirely-too-fancy abode with a grin, dividing them into rooms that had their own showering area. Floors, walls, and counter tops were constructed with moon rock, basalts with shiny surfaces. It seemed that the facets and pipes were made from iron mineral deposits. Angels might be able to live with the bare essentials, but it was clear they thrived in luxury. Shiki was excited to literally test the waters and quickly entered the shower. A thin mist came from pipes that Shiki supposed gathered moisture from the gas layers that floated above the moon's surface. The water evaporated soon after sprinkling Shiki's skin but he had to admit it was refreshing, reminding him of Earth's ocean sprays.

As he turned to let his back get hit by the mist, a pain shot through his shoulder. Shiki gasped, doubling over and clutching the ailing spot. When he could manage, he clenched his teeth and strained to get a look as his shoulder blade. A strange pattern coursed over his skin, red lines that burned and pulsed, hurting more when Shiki dared to touch them. Frightened, Shiki slipped on his change of clothes, wincing all the while. He didn't know why, but something told him that he couldn't let anyone see him like this. He didn't even want to see it anymore himself. Keeping the hurt from his face, Shiki found the others outside again, Tsubasa poking and prodding Dai and getting swatted at like a pesky bug while Rikka looked on, amused. Even while suffering, Shiki could almost smile. He thought he knew what it was now: this felt like a family, and he was a part of it.

“Now that we're all in high-fashion,” Tsubasa said, seeing Shiki had joined them, “How about you guys tell me what you came for? How can I help?”

“Now that Rikka's where he belongs,” Shiki said, “I don't think he have any objectives. It was what Dai and I set out to do.”

Shiki studied Rikka, now in a flowing gown that put his old one to envy, still a pure white but with sequins that caught light and shimmered in a pink that matched his hair. “That looks beautiful on you,” Shiki complimented.

Rikka thanked Shiki while blushing and fiddling with his hair. Shiki was enjoying the reaction when Tsubasa had to throw in his opinion. “Nothing less from someone deemed a princess.”

“I thought you said others were using that term on Rikka as an insult,” Shiki reminded him.

“Well, there's no reason we can't take it and turn the meaning around,” said Tsubasa. “I've got more clothes than I know what to do with, since a lot stuff like that was abandoned.”

_Abandoned_ , Shiki noted,  _meaning the angels here fled for some reason._

“It's not like they're garbage,” Tsubasa went on, “made of the finest materials, crafted by the best hands. It's nice to have someone whose figure can do them justice, other than me.”

Dai scoffed and simultaneously, Shiki was racked with a new pain. He grimaced and immediately tried to cover but Rikka had seen. “What's wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Shiki lied, but Rikka was looking him over hard. His eyes widened when they fell on Shiki's neck.

Rikka circled Shiki, pulling at his collar. “What's this mark?” he asked.

Shiki cursed his luck. “I don't know, but I don't think it's anything to worry about.” Of course, at that moment the damn etchings ignited again. He hissed and crumbled. Rikka caught him and Dai rushed closer.

“What's happening?” Rikka wasn't talking to him anymore. Shiki could tell that much even while he scrunched his eyes and waited for the burning to subside. “Do you know what this is?”

Tsubasa answered, sounding cautious. “I do. It's . . . You see, a curse was placed here to keep me in line. Nah,” Tsubasa amended, “it was probably to end me since no one thought I'd be able to stop flirting and would likely fall victim myself in time, but they all underestimated—”

“What is it?” Shiki urged through gritted teeth. “The curse . . . tell me.”

Tsubasa's face fell as he grew serious again. “You can't fall in love here. Because of my attracting beings from neighboring planets—Not on purpose by the way, I just like to fly high and catch the sun's light head-on, but it makes me glow like crazy and I began to catch other's eyes—Anyway, because of that, the Council set up a virus that would plague those in love. I guess it didn't cover the dark side of the moon, since no one would have thought Rikka would make company. In truth, the bastards probably forgot he was alive, but once you guys crossed into the light—”

“Shiki was struck by the virus,” Rikka finished.

Shiki, still in Rikka's arms, put a hand on Rikka's as they began to shake.

“I didn't know you guys were a couple,” Tsubasa rambled, either nervous or trying to lighten the mood. “That's great. I mean, it would have been, in better circumstances. I know it seems like this curse thing is my fault but I was one of the only young and good-looking angels around and, anyway, what can a guy do if he's attractive.” He stopped, actually wearing a sorrowful face. “I'm sorry about this, really.”

Rikka blinked at him, sympathetic. “I'm not putting any blame on you. The other angels were cowards, afraid of anyone different, from outsiders to those among them that stood out like us. They were such cowards that I'm not surprised they all flew off.” He took a pause. “Unable to give love or receive it. It's a punishment worse than death, and you've been feeling like it's less a curse of the moon and more like yours personally. You've been lonely, haven't you? What a cruel fate.”

Tsubasa gave a bitter laugh. “Finally someone who understands. Welcome to my Black Heaven.”

Dai left Shiki's side and went to Tsubasa, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Why don't you leave this place?” Dai asked. “If the other angels could desert this rock, so could you.”

“One: I can't imagine not having a place in the sun. It might be stupid, but I feel like I can't thrive out of the spotlight. I'm sure it's not true, but in the end, I love it. Still, the main reason, I guess, is fear. There are few that tolerate our kind because of how cruel we've been to foreigners here, and the gravity of a planet has to be within a certain range for us to live, the temperature too. I could figure out where the other angels went and follow, but it's not like I'd be accepted with open arms when I'm a big part of why they deserted.” Tsubasa sighed. Really, in the end, I just can't imagine being anyplace else.”

“Me too,” Rikka agreed. “Although . . .”

He looked at Shiki and the two read each other's minds. If there was a place they could both live happily, together, they'd escape there in a heartbeat.

“H-how about if we returned to the dark side?” Rikka asked. “You were doing fine there,” Rikka said to Shiki. “Tsubasa just said that the curse doesn't cover that area, right? And I don't mind going back as long as I have someone with me.”

Tsubasa spoke again. “He's already been plagued, so going back now won't help. It's like a poison that enters and eats away at you. That's how the Council explained it.”

“You're saying there's nothing he can do?” Rikka asked.

The fury behind his eyes made Shiki fear what would happen to Tsubasa if he gave an unfavorable answer, and apparently Tsubasa sensed it too. “I-I mean, I don't know what happens if you leave the moon entirely and go _far_ , _far_ away. Maybe if you travel far enough, the curse will lift or something? Like, some fresh air could purify you, I guess. Never know, right?”

Tsubasa sounded so unsure Shiki didn't gain a sliver of hope, and from the looks of it, neither did Rikka. “It would be better if I returned home,” Shiki decided. “I've accomplished what I'd set out to anyhow.” He turned to Rikka, heart squeezing at the sadness in his eyes. “I managed to get you out of the darkness, end your loneliness, if only for a little while. Actually, you and Tsubasa should be able to keep each other company.” He hesitated to say his next words, but couldn't avoid voicing his biggest worry aloud. “I can't chance us growing closer and my corrupting you, having this curse take to you too.”

“It doesn't affect angels does it?” Dai asked.

Tsubasa shrugged. “I don't know. Like I said, it was a measure against invaders, so two angels seemed to be fine loving each other. But Shiki appears to be a demon, so if Rikka loves him . . . I don't know. I haven't fallen in love myself yet. All those other beings who came here after falling for me at a distance, all of their emotions were one-sided, so I don't know what happens to an angel that loves another being.”

Rikka shook his head. “There's no need to wonder. It obviously doesn't effect angels. If it did, I'd have those marks all over me by now, Shiki.”

“Rikka . . .” It wasn't his imagination. Their love was mutual. A fiery sensation hit Shiki's stomach. He clutched at it, knowing that if he were to shed his clothes now, he'd see that the marks had made their way around to the front of him. How much of him had the curse defiled already? It felt like his whole body, inside and out was on fire. He continued gritting his teeth, keeping his eyes on Rikka, the reason for this fight and every other.

“I don't want you to go,” Rikka admitted, casting his eyes down. He looked back up with tears spangling them, ruining Shiki all over again. “Maybe it would have been better if we'd never met.”

Shiki gathered the strength to sit up and take Rikka's face in his hands, his thumbs playing along his jawline, his cheeks, brushing away any tears that had broken free from those dewy eyes. “No,” Shiki answered confidently. “I had to come here. Taking you from the dark is the greatest thing I've ever accomplished in my life, and there's no way I could regret loving you. I'll find a way for us to be together. Until then, sing, just as you've always done. Sing as long as you can so that, no matter how far away I am, I can still hear you.”

Rikka nodded and Shiki did what he'd wanted to do since before he and Rikka had set sight on each other. He leaned in and sealed their lips together in a long kiss he didn't want to end, ever. A short scream breaking from his throat was what finally separated him from Rikka. Shiki looked at his hand and saw that the marks were there now too, thick, angry lines that were beginning to resemble art as they met at a center then branched away from each other, creating an intricate design. But art was something to be appreciated; he hated them.

“I'd say it's time you head out,” Tsubasa stated the obvious.

Shiki wanted to object, but Dai had returned to his full-wolf form and was blinking solemnly at him. It was indeed time. He gave Rikka one last look, grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze before taking wolf Dai in his arms and extending his wings.

“Don't forget, this separation isn't forever,” he said without turning.

He heard Rikka whisper a goodbye as he set off. Flapping took more effort than it had taking off from Earth. He'd have figured the opposite would be true, that he'd be soaring at a rapid rate since the moon had less gravity. Perhaps it was because he was leaving with a heavy heart, but he was afraid the truth was that his body was weakening faster than he'd imagined.

Eventually, he was too focused, on avoiding asteroids and holding on to his sanity as space tore at the wings attached to his already ailing back, to think. He hurt inside and out and nothing in this great, wide universe felt fair, but Shiki kept his trajectory set on that planet he'd called home. Funny, now home felt like the place he was blazing away from. His ears and eyes were leaking and he wondered if blood was trying to seep from them. He didn't care if he lost his vision on this return flight, but he prayed to keep his hearing. If nothing else, he needed his hearing if he was to get by for even a second off the moon. He willed and willed himself until he entered Earth's atmosphere.

By the time Shiki touched down on the ledge he'd set off from what felt like a lifetime ago, he was exhausted. He didn't think he'd ever felt more tired and hurt in his life, and it had little to do with exertion.

_Rikka_ . . .

Overwhelmed with grief, Shiki collapsed.

 

***

 

Shiki woke up lying in his bed, unable to move a muscle. He couldn't tell how long he'd been out. Hours? Days? He _did_ know that his pain was worse, much worse. His veins were exploding, or at least it certainly felt that way. The patterns coursing over him had started to take a clearer shape and now resembled spider lilies. He used to love those flowers, before they mutated into another species, losing their stringy appendages and red color. They were one of the first living things to greet him when he'd set up home on this planet. Now, looking back, they were like Rikka, greeting him on the moon with such grace and beauty, capturing him and webbing him in. Shiki's eyes teared and there was little he could do to dry his face as they began to flow. His whole body was heavy, impossible to move.

A hand came to swipe his tears away and in seconds Shiki saw the face they belonged to, though he already could have guessed.

“Thanks, Dai,” Shiki said. “You don't have to stay around, you know? There's little you can do for me now.”

“I can keep you in comfort,” Dai answered. “At least, a little.”

“Yes,” Shiki's voice sounded small, feeble, somehow fitting for the demon too soft for his own kind. Perhaps they were right about him. He closed his eyes, weary.

“You've fought hard.”

Dai's words cut into the smog of doubt and grief in Shiki's head. It was as though he'd heard what Shiki had left unsaid and, for an instant, those words brought him back.

“From the decades you put up with being an outsider in the demon world,” Dai continued, “to the time we spent as loners here on Earth, and your journey to the moon and back all to save someone . . . I honestly don't believe this is the end for you.”

Shiki got distracted. The moon was out and peeking in through their window. Was Rikka there, gazing back at him? A melody played in his ears, the same song, but in a more hopeful tone, from that same honey-glazed voice he loved. “I hear him, Dai,” Shiki whispered. “Rikka's still singing, like I asked, singing for me. I wonder if I can see Rikka again, somehow . . .”

“You can,” Dai sounded so confident that Shiki's tired eyes snapped to him. His vision was blurring, but he tried to focus. “This life is ending, but you'll have the next, or the one after. It won't end here. You know as well as I do.”

Shiki didn't know what he knew anymore, but he wanted to believe that with all his heart. His vision was failing entirely but he could feel Dai's hand on his arm. The pain was beginning to ebb away and he breathed a sigh of relief.

He didn't recall taking another breath.

 

 

**THE VISION (550w)**

 

Although Shiki was a monster like any other, he felt like an outlier among family and friends. He had the same clawed hands, jagged teeth, and small cone-shaped horns. Only his parents knew that he also had little nubs poking out of his back that he could wiggle on command. He wasn't allowed to talk about those. His father would growl a warning and his mother would narrow her eyes and turn from disgust and shame at just the thought of his extra appendages, so he particularly didn't want to tell them that he suspected they were growing.

He wondered how long he could hide, not only his changing body, but his changing mind. He didn't feel like the others and it was becoming more and more apparent every day that he wasn't.

He'd often take walks at night, going as far into the wilderness as he could to be alone. Sometimes animals caught his eye, sometimes flowers, but it was the moon that could and would occupy him for hours. When he looked up at it, a song filled his head and he couldn't tell if he was hearing it with his ears or from memory. He felt that he'd heard it before; even the voice was familiar, but in the end, he'd shake off the déjà vu and enjoy it for what it was: a sound that soothed him.

Maybe soothe was the wrong word . . . It was a feeling he didn't have a name for yet. It made him feel so much joy, so at home, that he'd often clutch at his chest for fear that his heart would leap out and fly away. Some nights there would be a howl accompanying the far-off singing. It sounded like an animal he'd only heard legend of, long since driven to extinction. It couldn't be, but Shiki imagined that it was the last wolf alive, providing for the chorus. Its lonely voice perfectly fit the moon song's tone and made Shiki feel sad and wistful. Shiki was greatly missing something and he didn't know why or how. Rather than some _ thing _ . . . 

He didn't have to know what the song meant. He could hear it and understand its message and, for now, that was enough. Someday he'd do something about it because, more than anything, Shiki felt someone was up there, calling for him.

Before going home, he held up his small hand, barely eclipsing a third of the orb's great shape and made a promise he'd probably made a thousand times before.

“Someday, I'll come for you.”

Once ready for sleep, Shiki's tired mind played its games, transforming his bedding into a nest of dark purple and black feathers. A warm body laid beside him, holding him close and smoothing his hair. That body smelled like flowers. The word 'lily' drifted from the crevices of Shiki's mind, an aroma that had no duplicate in his waking world. The person kept playing with his hair, now humming the Song of the Moon and Shiki knew that they and his faraway Moon Angel were the same.

_ I'll find you. I'll find you. _ He'd say over and over without so much as cracking his lips.

And he would. Until then, he'd just keep dreaming.

 

END

 


End file.
